Tuesday, February 03, 2009

There is Nothing Like A Dame Two Dames

Dame Judi Dench



Dame Jude Law


It somehow escaped me that Jude & Judi had made a film together for auteur Sally Potter. I love it when name actors do one for their art. Well played, ladies.

This film, a treatise on the commodification of beauty, is called Rage and Jude plays "Minx" a supermodel whose beauty is deteriorating. Law is almost always at his best when he plays up (or directly against) his considerable beauty so I'm all kinds of excited to see him work his star mojo here. The rest of the cast is equally to die for: Eddie Izzard, Dianne Wiest, Bob Balaban, Adriana Barraza... Someone pinch me! Is Potter trying to possess my very soul?

Her films aren't always "good" but they're always worth grappling with whether they be rhyming oddities (Yes) beautiful disasters (The Man Who Cried) self-involved larks (Tango Lesson) or... you know, garden variety masterpieces (Orlando). Had I known about this movie, which premieres at Berlinale later this month, I would have put it high up on my "We Can't Wait" list.

Related Post Jude Law #1 Actor of the Aughts (the first half anyway, 2000-2005)
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22 comments:

Thombeau said...

Ooh, thanks for the Sally Potter update! And you KNOW how I feel about the Jude!

Hayden said...

Orlando is one of the many films that makes 1993 my favorite film year ever.

Jason Adams said...

Well as long as we're bringing up films that didn't even make it onto your list of movies to vote on, Nathaniel, can we talk about the absence of a little movie called Final Destination 4? HMM? Course I didn't even notice until it was too late, but FD4 wouldve made my Top 5 in a snap. IT'S IN 3D, YO. ;-)

Chuck W said...

I heart Sally Potter and cannot wait for this one.

Glenn said...

In my own blog countdown of 50 movies I am anticipating Rage ranked #6. I can't wait. My favourite Potter film is actually The Tango Lesson, which I think Rage may actually be a spinoff of (as in the movie within that movie, if anyone's seen it).

Glenn said...

Also, don't you think Jude looks like Sandra Bernhard there?

Brian Darr said...

I felt sad that almost nobody seemed to like Yes as well as I did. But even sadder that I wasn't able to articulate a convincing defense of the film. Its qualities that entranced me were somehow ineffable.

Thombeau said...

Yes. Tango Lesson, and of course Orlando are all wonderful films!

Carl Joseph Papa said...

I wish Law will make a film that will get him nominated again...

try my music meme eheheh
http://racsoledger.blogspot.com/2009/02/break-before-number-1-music-meme-from.html

Glenn Dunks said...

Yes is one of those films that is easy to tear down, but hard to build up, which makes it frustrating but is also part of its charm.

NATHANIEL R said...

I saw Yes in Toronto without knowing anything about it... that's so hard to do unless you're at a festival -- all i knew that it was Potter directing Allen. I'm embarrassed to say that I didn't realize it was in rhymed verse for awhile.

I was just thinking. Wow, she's gone really stylized with this dialogue and then it clicked in.

I'm dumb. Or I had seen too many movies that week ;)

Anonymous said...

Oh my God, that cast is amazing. It's nice to see Dianne Wiest doing some more artistic projects recently.

Anonymous said...

I saw ORLANDO and it stayed with me for years and then I saw YES and I don't know what bothers people about it - it was so well done. She could be outside watching
and in the mind of a character, the
rhyming is a fabulous conceit and
the acting and exposition of the
true psyches of the leads just marvelous. She is a brilliant woman
renaissance talented in so many ways and I am now waiting breathlessly for the chance to see
this. Jude knows what he is doing
and so does the rest of this cast.
BRAVO to everyone and especially
Jude for once again having the
courage and perception to do a role
like this.

Anonymous said...

I'm very sad you didn't read my comment on he article on your post SAG duscussion. I mentioned that film. Anyway, I'm happy you anticipate it as well but I'm sorry to say that Dame Judi is the main reason I want to see this film. I'm not familiar with MS Potter's work.

NATHANIEL R said...

jim, i read all comments. sorry that one left my brain somehow. If i hadn't it could have been on the list.

but here's to your keen sense of what to anticipate! [raises glass!]

James Colon said...

You forgot to mention that Steve Buscemi is also in the cast... that makes the movie for me, anyway.

Jason Adams said...

One other thing I just realized, now that I'm seeing this pic of Jude everywhere - the bastard went and shaved his chest for this! BLASPHEMY!!!

Anonymous said...

I'm so intrigued by this film, the story, and love most of the actors (the rest not familiar with). Jude looks fiercely hot, and I can't wait to see what he does with this.

NATHANIEL R said...

sheryl... if you'll take my recommendation, you'll be delighted by looking into Dianne Wiest's work! (Hannah and Her Sisters, Bullets Over Broadway, Edward Scissorhands, Parenthood, September, In Treatment). she is a GREAT actress.

and if you use NETFLIX... there's a numberr of Eddie Izzard concerts on there and they are laugh out loud funny.

Anonymous said...

Nathaniel... PLEASE... tell me... after Notes on Scandal (silver medal in FBA) and, perhaps, Nine... will Judi Dench became part of your Actresses of the aughts??? She's out last time... Love you. Daniel, from Brazil.

NATHANIEL R said...

probably yes. cuz i loved her in the Bond movies too.

it's just the first half of the decade she wasn't doing anything interesting (for me at least. i wasn't crazy about her work in Iris and I was DEFINITELY not on board with Chocolat)

Anonymous said...

Nathaniel,
Thanks...Dianne is one I'm looking forward to seeing. I've seen several of her films, and I love her! Steve Buscemi is another one...he's always fun to watch. I've seen Eddie in Velvet Goldmine, he was pretty intriguing, but I haven't seen any of his comedy. Judy I've seen in Chocolat. And Jude, well, I've seen everything he's done *face turns red* He's my star crush.